Fuel cell

• US 6,824,908 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Issued: 11/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sato, Nobuaki, Imazato, Minehisa, Yamaura, Kiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, Bruce F.
• Application Number:
  US09/967,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20020106552A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 429/33, 429/40, 429/41, 429/44
• US Class Current: 429/491
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/122 Ionic conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8605 Porous electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/92 Metals of platinum group H01M4/94 , H01M4/9058 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/96 Carbon-based electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0213 Gas-impermeable carbon-containing materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1007 with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised H01M8/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1016 characterised by the electrolyte material H01M8/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/948 Energy storage/generating using nanostructure, e.g. fuel cell, battery

Abstract

A fuel cell that has a fuel electrode and an oxygen electrode facing each other with a proton conductor disposed therebetween is provided. The fuel electrode and the oxygen electrode can include current collectors containing carbon nano-tubes to facilitate the manufacture of the fuel cell and the performance thereof.

Claims

1. A fuel cell comprising:

a fuel electrode, an oxygen electrode and a material capable of conducting protons disposed between the fuel electrode and the oxygen electrode wherein at least one of the fuel electrode and the oxygen electrode includes a current collector that contains a current collector material composed of carbon nano-tubes.

2. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of the fuel electrode and the oxygen electrode comprises a catalyst material having a metal component.

3. The fuel cell according to claim 2, wherein the metal component is selected from the group consisting of platinum, platinum alloy and mixtures thereof.

4. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the material capable of conducting protons comprises a carbonaceous material substantially composed of carbon defining a matrix structure that has one or more proton dissociative groups introduced therein.